The recent rash of B-Spec race cars automakers such as Honda, Mazda, Ford, and Kia have shown off at various auto shows and events this past year finally have a racing series in which to compete. The Pirelli World Challenge series has announced that its upcoming season will have a Touring Car class for the pint-size racers, and it released a preliminary list of seven models set to compete, as well the three World Challenge events in which they’ll take part. A few of the cars, like the Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio, and Fiat 500, we already knew about. In the case of the Honda Fit and Mazda 2, we actually raced them. The two cars we didn’t know would be participating, and whose manufacturers have yet to officially announce any B-Spec affiliation, are the Chevrolet Sonic and the Nissan Versa.

The cars will run in the exact same state of tune in the World Challenge as they do in SCCA Club Racing, save for tires. Modifications for racing are limited to shocks, springs, and required safety equipment such as roll cages, harnesses, and the like. None of the cars will be factory-backed, in keeping with the grassroots-style racing that the SCCA, Pirelli World Challenge, and the manufacturers want to push in the B-Spec class. The three Touring Car B-Spec events are slated for Miller Motorsports Park, Detroit’s Belle Isle, and Mosport International Raceway. Miller will be the first event, running in April. The B-spec class will run two 30-minute races plus one 40-minute race each weekend, for a total of nine events. Racing these things at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill was a blast, and we’re already envisioning our long-term Mazda 2 with a full cage and squatting over race rubber. Just kidding, Mazda…